Friction-clutch.



BEST @M A Ni. C. iSHARPNAK. FRICTION CLUTCH.

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Patented Sept. 28, 19M.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

MATTHEW o. jsHAHPNAcK, or PREscoTT, ARIZONA.

Svpecicationof Letters Patent.` Patgntedbsept, 28,4191e Applicationfiled August 17,` 1914. Serial No. 857,046.

-the engine fly-wheel, and which is so constructed that the throwing inof the clutch will'not effect sudden rotation of the driven shaft,thereby obviating the shock usually incident to starting thevehicle.

Another object is to provide a clutch having means for absorbingtorsional shocks thereon, whereby said 'shocks will not be transmittedto the driving and driven parts through the clutch.

A further object is to provide a clutch of.

the above character which is simple in construction, and which may bereadily assembled and appliedz The invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vievS7 of the clutch in vertical section illustrating itas applied to the iiywheel of an engine and showing it in its disengagedposition. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the face of theclutch as seenon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated 4 by the inclinedface 13 of the cone clutch member 14. Disposed in alinement with theends of the drive shaft 11 is a driven shaft l5 which extends into thetransmission gear case 16. Slidably mounted on the shaft 15 is a sleeve17 which is connected to the shafty 15 by means of a key 18 adapted toslide in da key-way 19 formed in the shaft 15 andeX- tendinglongitudinally thereof.

The sleeve 17 forms a bearing for the hub 20 of the cone clutch member14 v'which is revolubly mounted on the sleeve 17 and is lation to thelatter by means of an annular flange 21 mounted on the forward endl ofthe sleeve 17 and extending'alongside 'of the inner wall of the coneclutch member 14; a collar 22 being secured on the sleeve 17 by means ofa screw 23 or in any other suitable manner adjacent the outer end of thehub 20. rihe cone clutch member 14 ris designed to beyieldably connectedto the sleeve 17; this connection consisting of a coiled spring 24,

one end of which is looped around a pin 25 and engaged 1n a recess 26formed in the 'held against'longitudinal movement in reflange 21. Thespring 24 is coiled around the periphery of the flange 21 and its outerend is secured to a stud 27 -secured to the inner face of the coneclutch 14; the spring 24 being of sufficient tension to oppose freerotary movement of the cone clutch in rela- `t1on`to the sleeve 17.

n The cone clutch is adapted to be shifted to move the clutch face 13thereon in and out of engagement with the clutch face 12 on thefly-wheel l0; this shifting of the cone clutch being effected by theusual operating lever 28 having a yoke 29 engaging studs 30 on a band 31encompassing the hub 20 in an annular groove formed on the latter. Theope-rating lever 28 is designed to be rocked horizontally and therebyoperates to shift the cone clutch member and the sleeve 17 on which the-latter is mounted longitudinally of the shaft 15.

in the operation of the invention, on throwing the cone clutch member 14into frictional engagement with the revolving iiy-wheel 10 the initialrotary movement imparted to the clutch member 14 operates to wind thespring 24 around the flange 21, thus increasing the tension on thespring and at the same time tending to rotate the sleeve 17 and theshaft 15. When the pull on the spring 24 is sufficient to overcome theresistance offered to the rotation'of theshaft 15 the latter will becaused to rotate. By

longitudinally thereof, and yieldable means fastened to the clutchmember and connected to the shaft through which rotary movement istransmitted between the shaft and clutch member. 1

2. In a clutch, the combination with a shaft, of a clutch member mountedin revoluble relation to the shaft and reciprocal thereon, and a coiledspring forming a yieldable connection between the clutch member and theshaft, whereby rotary movement of the clutch member will be transmittedto the shaft. v

3. In a clutch, the combination of a shaft, a sleeve keyed on said shaftto slide longitudinally thereon, a clutch member revolubly mounted onsaid sleeve, and a coiled spring Wound around the sleeve having one endattached to the sleeve and its opposite end 'secured to the clutchmember.

4. In a clutch, the combination with a shaft, of a clutch member mountedin revoluble relation to-the shaft and reciprocal thereon, and atensioned yieldable member' fastened to the clutch member and connectedto the Shaft and adapted to exert a yieldable pull between the shaft andthe clutch member. y

5, In a clutch, the combination of ashaft, a sleeve keyed on said shaftto slide longitudinally thereon, a clutch member revolubly mounted onsaid sleeve, and a yieldable member connecting said sleeve and clutchmember, through which rotary' movement is transmitted betweeny the shaftand clutch member.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis th Vday of July, 1914.

MATTHEV C. SHARPNACK.

` Witnesses:

MARGUERITE BATES, MARIE- BATTEY.

